Limb guard or protector



(No Model.)

0. DRAKE.

LIMB GUARD 0R PROTECTOR.

No. 307,024. Patented Oct. 21, 1884.

4M ATTORNEYS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CUNINGHAM DRAKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LIMB GUARD OR PROTECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,024, dated October21, 1884.

Application filed May 13, 15 84. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CUNINGHAM DRAKE, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in LimbGuards or Protectors; and I do hereby declare that the following-is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, which form a partof this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view, andFig. 2 is a side view, of my invention.

The same letters refer to the same parts in both the figures.

This invention relates to a supporting device for bed-clothes orbed-coverings.

In cases of fracture of the limbs, when under medical treatment, and inmany other casesnotably in the latter stages of pregnancy and duringconfinement it is frequent 1y desirable, or even absolutely necessary,to

relieve the patient of the weight of the bedclothes, which mightinjuriously affect the atflicted parts. To effect this result severalcontrivances have been designed, all of which, however, have been moreor less expensive, and none of which, so far as I am aware, have givenentire satisfaction.

The object of this invention is to construct a device for the purposestated which shall be at the same time simple, inexpensive, and easilyadjusted over the limb, member, or other afliicted part; and with theseobjects in view my invention consists in the improved construction andarrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, A A des: ignate a series of three ormore bows or arches, made of wire or other. suitable ma terial, andconnected by means of longitudinal braces B B. The lower ends or legs ofthe bows B B are fitted adjustably in sockets G O, which latter areprovided with set-screws D, by means of which the said bows may beretained securely in anyposition to which they may be adjusted. Thelower ends of the sockets O G ofthe front how are connected by a cord orchain, E, which will prevent the device from spreading or from beingdisplaced under the weight of the bed-clothes which rest thereon duringoperation.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood. The bows orarches are simply adjusted over and across the bed and properly adjustedvertically in their sockets,

so as to support the bed-clothes the desired distance above the body ofthe patient, who may thus be warmly covered and at the same timerelieved from the weight of the covering.

I am well aware that frames for supporting mosquitonetting have beenmade of a series of bows and connecting braces, said bows spanning thebed from side to side and suitably attached to the bed-frame. I do not,

therefore, claim, broadly, anarched frame of bows and braces; but

WVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

1. A surgical appliance for holding bed clothes or coverings over thelimb of a patient, consisting of the movable frame formed-of a series ofbows or arches connected by suitable braces, and having means,substantially as described, for preventing the lower ends of the archesfrom spreading when the appliance is in use.

2. In a surgical appliance for supporting bed clothes or'coverin gs, thecombination,with a series of suitably-connected bows or arches, ofsockets wherein the said bows or arches are vertically adjustable, and acord or chain connecting the lower ends of the sockets of the frontarch, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The 116l.'6l1ld0501lb0d surgical appliance for supporting bed clothesor coverings, the same consisting of a series of suitably-eonnected bowsor arches, sockets for the same, provided with set-screws adapted toretain the said bows or arches in any position to which they may bevertically adjusted, and a cord or chain connecting the lower ends ofthe sockets of the front bow or arch, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

. I11 testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereuntoaffixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' GUNINGHAM DRAKE.

Vitnesses:

Louis Bacon's,

AUGUST PE'rEEsoN.

